Bear found napping on Naples lanai

Bear sound asleep on the lanai

Texts from Alice's son

This is how the bear entered the lanai

The MacDonough family watched from right behind a window as a black bear spent an hour just hanging out making himself comfortable on their lanai. State bear experts say this is unprecedented and the bear's behavior is raising some red flags.

A typical summer day took a stunning twist.

"You don't really think when you see something like that. So we were all just freaking out," said Preston MacDonough.

A black bear left the comforts of the collier county woods - tore through this screen and settled down on the MacDonough's lanai.

Jaws dropped -- the babysitter called the homeowner right away.

Alice MacDonough rushed home.

"I know I've been to the zoo. I've seen a bear at the zoo, but not even that close. This is the closest I've ever come to a bear let alone a seven or eight feet bear sitting on my back porch," Alice said.

The bear spent an hour on the lanai, but not doing much.

"I think he was yawning because he looked tired because he was sleeping," said Mason MacDonough.

FWC says this is a problem. The bear obviously isn't afraid of humans. They plan on trapping it -- saying things could go a lot worse the next time he shows up.

The trap is now in place and the bait is set -- now they have to wait for the bear to come back. But once inside, the black bear won't come back alive.

State officials say it's dangerous and must be euthanized.

Alice MacDonough understands why FWC is trapping the bear, but hates to think it will be euthanized.

"This is their habitat, we're invading their area. They need a place to run and to roam," Alice said.

FWC said the MacDonoughs did everything right -- the garbage and pet food is all inside. Experts think the bear was just looking for dry land, but it's alarming he spent this much time with humans and they'll have to put the bear down.

"You can't get anymore vulnerable than sleeping for a wild animal and
that bear was so comfortable," said David Telesco with FWC, "Without
fear, they are ok with approaching people and that's not something
that's acceptable."Some say send the bear to zoos or other animal enclosures.

But the FWC considers that more inhuman than euthanizing.

"They mutilate themselves. They hit electric fencing. They go into all sorts of issues," said Telesco.

And shipping it out of sight won't work either.

"If we were to move an animal, there's no telling how far they'll go. We've actually had a bear go from Eglend Air Force Base in the panhandle to Baton Rouge, Louisiana," said Telesco.

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